The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-07-07

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without noticing her husband silence
had enlarged on the pleasure she anti
cipated in giving brilliant party on
Christmas night. She looked up in
surprise when he said rather soberly:
I'VE will talk it over tonight. Helen;
in the meantime you'd better do moth
ing about it." But she answered ra-
dainty:
'Oh, you'll approve every detail !
have planned. am sure you will. I've
been thinking of it for weeks and l
must have the cards out ut once. so
don't say word, Jack boy!"
Never before had John Chisholm felt
so thoroughly miserable on leaving
home for his business as he did that
morning. and events seemed to conspire
to increase rather than ease his mental
disquietude.
At market he met his minister. DIR.
Price. and the provision dealer was
half banteringly advising the reverend
gentleman to engage his Christmas
turkey. 1t was only two weeks. he ar
gued. before the day would arrive, and
turkeys might be scarce by that time.
The answer of the good man smote
John Chisholm to the heart
Il expect no turkey dinners this year"
he said; IAN inconvenient expense In
the way of sickness had to be met, and
now that can say l owe no man any
thing at the close of the year-except
to love all-there Is no money left for
luxuries. But them" he added cheerily,
II thank God we are all well and need
no margin for luxuries."
Then, ON leaving the market Mr..
Chisholm encountered the nearest re-
lative he had in the world, Uncle Timo-
thy Chisholm. luckless old man W ho
was forever be wailing his hard. unjust
fate. For Uncle Timothy declared and
believed himself the rightful owner of
certain plots of land within the city
limits, W hich, had they really been his
proper ty would have constituted him
a rich man forthwith. But 'Uncle
Ii notify and his claims had become
a sort of forlorn jest although his
nephew treated him kindly and fire.
quently invited him to dinner Of q
Sunday, when this unacknowledged
claims we sure to furn ish the doleful
topic of conversation.
This morning Uncle Timothy was in
a particularly uncomfortable frame of
mind, for lawyer who had been look
ing into his case had reported unfavor-
ably as to the results of his investiga.
tons, and where would the money
come from to pay the lawyer !?
Arrived at the Office he was not
cheered by finding that the prospect
was he would be alone for several
hours, and meeting of the directors
was to be held that day. All the NOR
ming the figures Of the great ledger
seemed burning themselves into the
treasurer's brain, and the haunting
score of those unpaid bills kept parad-
ing before his excited vision. Then
the probable cost of such reception
as his wife was bent on giving caused
a rapid succession of side calculations
not consoling to his perturbed mind.
But this was not the worst of it.
For more dreadful and distracting
than all else, came the haunting de-
mon of terrible suggestion-not pre-
enting itself for the first time-which
kept lodging in and out of his tired
brain and dancing before his troubled
eyes.
1t was soon after lunch that still
alone In the Office, he suddenly stopped
writing and stood motionless. as if half
paralyzed by some dreaded revelation.
As he gazed, spell-bound. on the
open page before him. he whispered
hoarsely:
'.Ah! here is where it could be &C.
complished easily enough" For with
the shrewd, accurate forecasting of the
skilled account he ad seen and instantly
realized just where false entry on that
clean page would enable him to wipe
out his outstanding liabilities and render
it needless to disappoint his dear little
wife concerning the Christmas party.
Only one brief entry and the relief he
would experience.
Every nerve in his body tingled and
thrilled, as grasping his pen he essay
ed to put in the fateful line. He paused
for an instant, angry that his hand had
twitched nervously, then with viole Mt
start and curse the pen slipped from
his nerveless fingers to the floor.
The Office boy passing the closed
door at that critical moment when
John Chisholm was trying to steady
his hand, had sung out in what to the
mans quivering senses seemed q
weird. gibbering voice:
ION the brink, on the brink"
Only a snatch from the chorus of an
old song, but the poor treasurer, with
his hands clasped behind him, strobe
rapidly up and down the long Office,
his mind filled with pictures crowding
and yet fast and yet faster before
his disordered imagination.
In his overweight state he seemed
to consider the deed really done
for at last he exclaimed, 'I'll take il
out I'll take it out; it shan't appear
against me !" And Selling the fallen
pen he stared blankly at the last line
in the ledger, until fully realizing the
truth, he said family:
'Thank God, hadn't entered it aft
er all !"
A few moments later clerk entered
and Mr.. Chisholm started for home
saying he should not return to tht
Office that day.
As Helen Chisholm. an underlined
terror at her heart, lowered about thu
gerat chair into which her husband
had flung himself, pale and haggard.
implored to know what could have